Rosen bill targets mining industry’s ‘aging workforce’ with exchange program

The race with China for so-called critical minerals has the United States looking outside of the country for clues.

U.S. Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., has introduced a new bill that would facilitate that exchange of knowledge between countries by creating a Critical Mineral Mining Fellowship Program, her office said in a Tuesday news release. The bill is co-sponsored by Sens. John Curtis, R-Utah; Tim Kaine, D-Va.; and Tim Scott, R-S.C.

“Nevada is a national leader in mining and critical mineral production, and supporting this industry will help grow Nevada’s economy,” Rosen said in a statement. “We need to ensure we have the workers with the training and experience ready to fill good-paying mining jobs in our state.”

The initiative would operate under the Fulbright Program, the country’s highly competitive international exchange program founded in 1946 that selects Americans to complete a specific project or degree abroad.

Each fellow the U.S. sends abroad would need to commit to a career that benefits the country’s mining industry, according to the bill text. In exchange for funding the cost of mining degrees, a parallel Visiting Mining Scholars Program would host at least 10 foreign mining academics and professionals at U.S. universities.

‘We must take the long view’

In the bill text, senators point to a “personnel shortage” in the mining industry, due to “an aging workforce, declining numbers of graduates entering mining careers and difficulty recruiting and retaining skilled workers.”

By their estimation, half of the current mining workforce is expected to retire within the next five years.

Which minerals are considered critical has varied throughout the years, with the Department of Energy, Interior Department and U.S. Geological Survey each having their own lists.

In Nevada, much of the focus has been on lithium, with billion-dollar investments from the state and federal government in projects such as Thacker Pass near the Oregon border.

China has consistently dominated production and refinement space when it comes to critical minerals, and both political parties have flagged U.S. dependency on the country’s minerals as a national security issue.

“China has spent decades building a strategic advantage in critical minerals,” Curtis said in a statement. “If the United States wants to outpace China, we must take the long view, starting with how we educate, train, and empower the next generation.”

A bipartisan group of congressmen introduced a companion bill in the House on Monday, as well.

Contact Alan Halaly at ahalaly@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlanHalaly on X.